2000
#9,576
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,114
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.15
Rare Last name
Hern
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "nook, corner, or secluded spot."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,735 Americans carry the last name Hern. That puts it at #12,424 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 125,322 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hern surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Hern with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.7K
1 in 125,322
Census rank
#12,424
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,385 bearers of the surname Hern in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12424th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hern, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.3%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hern
The surname HERN is of English origin, derived from the Old English words "hern" or "hyrne," which means a "corner" or "nook." The name first emerged in the late 11th century, shortly after the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. It was initially an occupational name given to someone who lived or worked in a secluded or hidden area, perhaps a remote part of a village or town.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname HERN can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landholdings and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including "Herne," "Hyrne," and "Hern," indicating its early variations.
During the Middle Ages, the HERN surname was particularly concentrated in the counties of Oxfordshire and Berkshire, where several notable figures bearing the name emerged. One such individual was Sir John Hern (c. 1340 - 1415), a prominent knight and landowner from Oxfordshire who served as a member of Parliament and fought in the Hundred Years' War.
Another notable figure was William Hern (c. 1500 - 1570), a wealthy merchant and philanthropist from Berkshire. He is remembered for his generous donations to the town of Abingdon, where he funded the construction of a hospital and a free school.
In the 16th century, the HERN surname gained prominence in London, where several members of the family became prominent figures in the city's mercantile and legal circles. One such individual was Robert Hern (c. 1550 - 1628), a successful merchant and alderman who served as the Sheriff of London in 1602.
The HERN surname has also been associated with several place names in England, including Herne Bay in Kent and Herne Hill in London. These locations likely derived their names from the Old English "hyrne" or "hern," referring to their geographic locations at a corner or secluded area.
Other notable figures with the surname HERN include:
1. Thomas Hern (c. 1600 - 1680), an English author and clergyman who wrote several works on theology and philosophy.
2. Samuel Hern (c. 1650 - 1720), a prominent lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas in England.
3. Jane Hern (c. 1770 - 1840), a pioneering educator and author who established one of the first schools for girls in London.
4. William Hern (c. 1820 - 1890), a British naval officer and explorer who led several expeditions to the Arctic regions.
5. Edward Hern (c. 1860 - 1935), a renowned architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Savoy Hotel.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hern
Among Census respondents with the surname Hern, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.3%) and Two or More Races (5.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Hern bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Hern surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.7% · 1,830
- Hispanic or Latino12.3% · 294
- Two or more races5.5% · 132
- Black or African American3.4% · 82
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 25
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 22
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hern
Hern appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#11,079
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,865
-249 bearers (-8.0%)
Per 100,000 0.97
Rank movement Down 1,503 places
2020
#12,424
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,385
-480 bearers (-16.8%)
Per 100,000 0.80
Rank movement Down 1,345 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,576 | 3,114 | 1.15 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,079 | 2,865 | 0.97 | -249 bearers (-8.0%) | Down 1,503 places |
| 2020 | #12,424 | 2,385 | 0.80 | -480 bearers (-16.8%) | Down 1,345 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Hern surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #11,079 | #12,424 | -12.1% |
| Count | 2,865 | 2,385 | -16.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.97 | 0.80 | -17.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hern bearers went from 2,865 to 2,385 (-16.8% change). The surname moved down 1,345 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,079 to #12,424.
FAQ
Hern surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hern?
Name Census estimates that about 2,735 living Americans carry the surname Hern. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 125,322 residents.
How common is Hern?
Hern ranks #12,424 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.80 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,385 people with the surname Hern. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,735), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.8 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.80 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Hern.
Has Hern become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hern went from 2,865 recorded bearers to 2,385. That is a decrease of 480 (-16.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,079 to #12,424.
What does the Census say about the background of Hern?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hern, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.7%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (12.3%) and Two or More Races (5.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Hern in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.7% (1,830 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hern appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.7%), Hispanic (12.3%), Two or More Races (5.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Hern (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Hern mean?
An English toponymic surname derived from a place name meaning "nook, corner, or secluded spot." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Hern (0.80 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the last name Hern?
If you just want to know how many people are called Hern, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.